Thoughts from Pastor Gary
Making much of Gods glory, part 2
Last time, by looking at Isaiah 43, we noticed how God’s glory is connected to the keeping of Israel (and all of His saints). If you still have that email, you might want to review it before proceeding with this one. Once again, I invite you to grab your Bibles as we pick up our meditation from that point.
The Bible is clear that God will never share or surrender His glory (Exod 20.2-7; 34.14). Since, in Isaiah 43, Israel is a “type or picture” for every believer, the salvation of every believer is connected by the promise that God will bring glory to Himself through the preservation of all His saints. For those of us who are born after the coming of Jesus, the certainty of that promise is proven in the death and resurrection of God’s Son. The truths of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection are the composition of the gospel. With those realities in mind, we can use the passage in Isaiah 43 to sustain our faith, even as we weep and wonder why about the devastation in Haiti. Let’s see how . . .
Remember the twice-mentioned exhortation: “do not fear” (1,5). That’s the key that unlocks the passage for our good, and for the good of all who grapple with the reality of tragedy and death. In the life of the believer, faith that is grounded in the gospel serves to help us overcome our fear. Using the “do not fear’s” of Isaiah 43, let’s contemplate how such faith helps us cope with the devastation and death in Haiti.
Our faith in the gospel overcomes the fear of tragedy & death when we remember that the God of the Universe has claimed every saint for His own. In God’s “claiming” I have hope.
Our faith in the gospel overcomes the fear of an uncertain future when we remember that nothing nor no one can steal the souls of those whom God has claimed (John 10 & Rom 8). No matter how tragic or hopeless any particular circumstance may seem, genuine faith in God endures that circumstance. (Experience teaches us that endurance may be hard, that it can refer to a long-term effort, and that it ultimately points to our eternal promise.)
Our faith in the gospel overcomes the fear of God’s power being diminished when we remember that God’s glory is at stake in preserving His saints. In God’s zeal for His own glory, I find reassuring joy.
Putting those three observations together, I am reminded that my hope and my joy and my endurance are not dependent on good days, good times or good circumstances. They are dependent on God’s determination to bring glory to Himself by the keeping of my soul – no matter the circumstance (Is 43.1-3). That is massively encouraging to me!
The saving and keeping of every believer is God’s unbreakable promise. And the guarantee of that promise is God’s absolute power to uphold His glory against all foes, and in the midst of every circumstance; including wars, natural disasters, legalized abortions, or whatever. God’s glory is at stake in the power of the gospel to save and to keep, and God will never surrender His glory. The cross and the empty tomb have sealed the victory. To say that in cosmic terms, God will never surrender the gains of the cross in the war against Satan and sin and death.
So, brothers and sisters, how do we bring all this together for our comfort and encouragement? By weeping over the tragic loss of life in Haiti. By weeping over the aborted children, and the hastily euthanized. Weeping over death and disaster is always the right response for the believer. And, while we weep, let us pray, and give, like never before. And, let us repent over those times and seasons when our efforts to share Christ have waned and gone wanting – let us beg God to forgive the sin of our silence.
While we weep and repent, we must never despair over any perceived impotence or inability of God to hold on to His elect – the Bible does not offer that option – His glory is at stake. Instead, let us be constant before His throne, to claim His great promises of conquering sin and evil and death (Rom 16.20; Rev 20.10), for the glory of His name. And, let us plead with God that His church would rise up and be mighty in mercy and in deeds as the gates of Hell are repulsed (Matt 16.18), for the glory of His name. And, let us be energized in every prayer, every donation, and in every opportunity to share the gospel by remembering that God’s glory is our banner.
It is good to make much of God’s glory in such times and in such ways . . . through such efforts we bring God out of the shadows in our lives.
Weeping over tragedy, repenting of silence, and rejoicing in God’s glory with you,
Pastor Gary
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